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Cañon City High School principal will resign at end of year

Meuli wants more time to focus on family

By Carie Canterbury

The Daily Record

Posted:
03/29/2016 04:50:27 PM MDT

Cañon City High School Principal Bret Meuli looks on as junior Damien Torres Montoya treats school board members to a little Santana on the guitar he built in Wood Shop class in February. (DC Spencer/ Daily Record)

Cañon City High School Principal Bret Meuli is altering his career path in order to put his family first.

The Cañon City School Board accepted his resignation, effective the end of this school year, Monday, and he made the announcement to his staff Tuesday morning.

"To run a school, I think it takes an opportunity, it takes passion and it takes some skill or commitment," he said. "I think I have been given the opportunity, I think I have the skills, but lately, I haven't had the passion."

Meuli, 57, said he is passionate about some upcoming programs at the high school but not about the day-to-day operation and overall management of the school.

"I need to dedicate my time elsewhere, and I need to step aside so someone else can dedicate their time and passion to putting things in place that we are starting," he said.

Meuli would like to continue working in the district, possibly at the district level as a support to other administrators. He said he still has an interest in the high school age group, and he has a passion for post-secondary readiness, helping students prepare for college.

"I don't want to leave Cañon, I don't want to leave the school district, but it's time they got somebody else at Cañon City High School," he said.

The toll from the sexting scandal at CCHS that made headlines across the country and the globe in 2015 played a small part in Meuli's decision to resign, but it wasn't a significant factor.

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"It's an example of everything else that you have to deal with that wears on you," he said. "Every year it's something — we've had suicides and other issues — punch-you-in-the-face-type issues— that you have to deal with and get through. This year, it was the sexting — it was a time commitment and it is difficult any time a number of kids get hurt, but it really came down to the last two years for me that really reflected my commitment and whether it's just time for somebody else to step in and do it."

The main reason he no longer wants to serve as principal, he said, is his daughters, Emily and Madison, ages 8 and 10.

"That's my passion," he said, fighting back tears. "I don't want to leave, I need to leave, that's what it boils down to, they need my attention. (The sexting scandal) took me away from paying attention to them."

Because of continual sporting events and school programs and activities, Meuli said late nights are common.

"I got tired of going home at 8:30, kissing my daughters good night, and leaving before they were up in the morning," he said. "I don't want to do that."

Meuli taught six years in a different district before teaching Social Studies four years at CCHS, serving four years as assistant principal and then six years as principal.

"A good friend of mine who was an administrator said it should be against the rules for somebody to be a head principal and have kids still in school," he said. "I spent a lot of time trying to prove him wrong, and I think I proved him right. It makes sense, it's tough on families."

Superintendent George Welsh said the position should be posted soon, applications for the position will be accepted until April 24 and interviews should be scheduled for early May.

"We will soon be looking to create a committee of CCHS staff members to help us choose the school's next leader," he said. "We will do this through the lens of a desire to hire somebody who will put into motion the work that has already begun through the efforts of the CCHS Building Leadership Team, and the Cañon 20-20 Task Force."

Welsh expressed appreciation for the 14 years Meuli has devoted to the district.

"As professional educators, be we teachers, support staff, or administrators, we know we must be able to give our all to the job we have been entrusted with in support of children, every day," he said. "What also rings true is that every one of us will eventually get to a point in the role we are in when we realize we may no longer possess the passion that is needed to do our job at a high level of expertise. I can only hope that when this happens to me I can have the courage and dignity to handle it the same way Bret has."

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